An Uneasy Truce
by AmberWolf of Flames
Summary: Faced with an enemy that can control reality itself,the PPG suddenly find themselves in a future ruled by an all powerful dictator. To save the future the PPG's must join a band of villains turned freedom fighters and battle alongside old enemies.RRBxPPG.
1. Reality Turned on its Head

An Uneasy Truce

(A PPG fanfic)

By Amber Wolf of Flames

It was a cold, starless night in the City of Townsville. A chilling wind blew fiercely from the East while the clouds overhead threatened to dump their soggy load on the city. Below, the citizens slept on peacefully under their warm blankets recharging for the coming day. Even the three young heroines, known fondly of as the Powerpuff Girls, were sleeping soundly, thankful of a night free of crime. Never did they know that a force more evil, more blood-thirsty, and more diabolical than anything they had currently faced was planning and plotting, biding its time to strike.

Downtown Townsville, a place notorious for crime and villainy, this was the dark side of town. Average citizens rarely dared to enter its foreboding alleyways and whoever did was considered either very brave or very foolish. It was a place where one could not trust their own shadow. Only the worst of the worst could survive, and only the worst of the worst tried. This night was no different than any other; gunshots, screams, and the sounds breaking glass and alarms filled the night air like a demented melody. This part of town was very much alive.

Inside of a rickety warehouse, a shadowy figure cracked a smirk. This was his song, his melody. He survived on these twisted lyrics. He danced and twirled with the beat and soon the whole world would join him. A lifetime of existing as a shadow, an unnoticeable figure in the crowd, was about to be shattered. Soon they would all know his name, loath it, and dread its very existence.

For countless years he had simply observed. He observed everything; everyday people, crimes and how they failed, and most of all the Powerpuff Girls. How the figure despised them. They disturbed his everlasting song with their heroics and good deeds. They created a song of their own, and he hated it. The lyrics crashed mightily against each other and created a horrendous cacophony of sound. Soon, he thought gleefully, he would silence that song forevermore.

A plan unlike any other, a plan that even the greatest strategist would not be able to combat. It would come too hard, and too fast. Like a giant tsunami, the plan would relentlessly knock down all that stood in its way. It would wash away the foolish heroes and small-minded villains. After its wake only signs of destruction would remain. Striking silently like a snake with the most deadly poison. Yes, the plan was perfect. It was beautiful, poetry in motion, at least to him. He let out a soft but unsettling chuckle that could easily send shivers down ones spine. With one last glance at the bustling crime center of downtown, he shut the window he had been gazing out of gently, but not before making one last ominous statement to an unmoved city, "Goodnight, Townsville. Enjoy this night. After all, it is your final dance." With this the window shut with a sound _thud_, while soft, warped laughter drifted gently behind.

* * *

The next morning…

Ring, ring, ring….

Blossom grunted in annoyance at the new, obnoxious disturbance to her dreams. Why did the alarm always have to go off at the best part? Deciding to be defiant this morning, she buried her head deeper into her pillow to block out the sound.

Ring, ring, RING…

Blossom's efforts were quickly proving to be in vain. The alarm seemed just as determined as her this morning. Still, she was going to win this battle of wills. After all, every hero deserved their rest!

Ring, RING, RIIIIIIIING….

Blossom sighed. Apparently not, according to her clock's opinion. Reluctantly, Blossom slowly sat up and climbed over Buttercup to reach the agitated alarm clock. Buttercup grunted in response, but still remained soundly asleep. Bubbles was curled up in a cozy ball under the covers, also in a solid sleep. Blossom never ceased being amazed at her two sisters' ability to sleep through almost anything. She had always been one of the lightest sleepers; probably due to her need to always be ready for action (Her sisters would call it paranoia). After all, crime never slept. That is why the girls always treasured the nights where even criminals seemed to rest. Last night had been such a rare night. Still, Blossom found herself unwilling to greet the day.

It was an hour until school started, so Blossom went leisurely about her morning schedule. Her sisters didn't wake up for another 25 minutes at least and the professor had probably fallen asleep in the lab again, so she had the whole house to herself. In complete solitude, Blossom ate her breakfast (Waffles, made by hers truly), took a shower (Buttercup had left the heat on scalding), got dressed (Typical pink uniform. Why change a classic?), and began brushing her hair. She still put great pride in her long, soft red hair. She loved to brush her hair and found it to be the most relaxing part of her schedule. Not this morning, however. As Blossom let herself go into a trance, she heard a slight noise. It seemed to hum in her ear, ever so quietly. She easily brushed it off at first, dismissing it as pure imagination. Then it came back slightly stronger, persistent. She ignored it more, now suspicious. Then it came in stronger than ever, clear and crisp. A song, she realized. The words put her into a shock,

"_Are you ready for this?_

_Fire, strife, and fear,_

_Are you ready for this?_

_As I whisper in your ear,_

_Are you ready for this?_

_Tell me can you hear,_

_Are you ready for this?_

_Please don't shed a tear,_

_Are you ready for this?_

_As I make it all disappear,_

_Are you ready for this?_

_Can you feel me cheer,_

_Are you ready for this?_

_As I wipe your world clear,_

_Are you ready for this?_

_In this I am sincere,_

_Are you ready for this?_

_I'LL DESTROY YOU DEAR!"_

Blossom literally jumped at the loud, sudden ending. Shivers ran down her spine and her heart was racing a thousand miles an hour. The voice singing the song had been truly frightening. It sang with a light, mocking but most of all hate filled tone which had changed completely on the last line to evil and demonic. Blossom had never heard anything so terrifying. For a few seconds, the ice queen was literally frozen in place from pure shock and fear. Then, her natural reactions started to kick back in. She sprinted at her top speed back to their room, leaving a trail of pink light behind.

The door swung upon with a slam, quickly followed by the frantic shout of "GIRLS, WAKE UP!" from the panicked leader. Buttercup and Bubbles were both out of bed in a flash, hovering over their beds in battle-ready stances. A few seconds passed until the awoken girls realized the lack of immediate threat. Then annoyance took full hold.

"You better spit out a good reason why you woke us up in the next ten seconds, Leader Girl! I was having an awesome dream that I was kicking Butch's butt. I was about ready to win!" Buttercup threatened as she put on the best glare she could muster at 6:30 a.m.

"Yeah, and I was getting to the part with the bunnies!" Bubbles joined in equally annoyed, but with a much lighter glare.

"I know it's early, girls, but something strange is going on here…" Blossom explained, as she attempted to keep a calm front. She was failing…horribly. Now fully awake, both sisters' were seeing straight through her bluff. They had never seen their leader so completely shaken, and that made them uneasy. While paranoid, Blossom wasn't one to get scared by little things.

Bubbles was the first to speak, "Strange?" It was a simple question, but one both sisters' were almost afraid to hear the answer to. Blossom stayed silent for a few moments letting the question hang in the air. She seemed to be reviewing, analyzing, and putting things together. Bubbles let out an inward sigh of relief. That was a very Blossom-like thing to do.

Finally, Blossom spoke up, "It all started when I went to brush my hair…" From there she explained everything; the song, the voice, and the possible message. She could see both Buttercup and Bubbles eyes widening as she told more and more of her story. Bubbles was clearly getting scared, while Buttercup seemed to be focusing intently on every word.

"So, you heard a voice in your head? Isn't that the first sign of crazy?" Buttercup joked, raising one eyebrow in mock disbelief. To the average person, it would have sounded as if Blossom had finally lost her mind from all the stress of crime fighting, but the Powerpuff Girls had come to accept anything as possible. It saved a lot of trouble down the road.

Blossom simply shot her raven-haired sister a half-hearted glare. Buttercup shrugged casually and settled down on her green bean bag with a small smirk. She loved when she got her riled. Buttercup was jerked out of her self-congratulatory revelry by Bubbles soft statement of what had been on everyone's mind, "Do you think…it was Him?"

Blossom seemed to mull this over. It made sense, after all. Him was the only known villain to be able to play mind games, and he was very good at it too. But something just didn't match up. Compared to Him's pitchy, high voice, this voice was consistently low and menacing. She couldn't rule out the possibility of an entirely new evil entity. For once in her life, Blossom hoped beyond hope that it was Him. At least then she might know how to deal with this. It would be familiar, and that was comforting.

"No…I don't think so…not this time." She could feel the questioning stares burning into her skull until the time caught her eye. 7:25 a.m., the school bell would ring in less than 10 minutes! "No time for this now! We're going to be late for school!" Both girls let out a small gasp, and soon there was a fury of motion. Pink, blue and green flashes flitted randomly around the house as the girls scrambled to get ready. Within seconds, the girls were done and flying at top speed through the brisk morning air toward their school. Underneath them the city of Townsville seemed tranquil and calm as the first golden rays of the sun kissed the pavement. A small smile flitted across Blossom's face. This was the Townsville they fought for; a calm, peaceful city of neighborly people and endless opportunity. For this city, she would fight against any villain that came their way.

A single thought floated in her head,

"_Bring it on."_

And he did, oh, how he did.

* * *

Later that day…

School had passed by un-eventfully. Blossom had gotten an A on a math test, Buttercup had ruled dodge ball at recess, and Bubbles had drawn another colorful drawing in art. All in all, it was a very average day. And like any average day, the girls had started their trek from school to home on foot. It had become a sort of tradition that they didn't fly home. They all agreed it was nice to stay and enjoy the scenery from the ground every now and then. The day was sunny, and the sky was clear, truly a fine day that gave life to everyone and everything. The foreboding incident of the morning had been quickly shoved away and forgotten, pushed into a dark corner of their minds. That is, until a familiar voice chimed in Blossom's head…

"_Are you ready for this__?"_ This time it was a clear cut statement, with a hint of impatience and equal malice. Blossom stopped sharply in her tracks, her heart skipping a beat. The other two puffs quickly stopped also, looks of alarm on both their faces.

"Did you girls hear that?" Blossom asked in a hushed whisper.

Both nodded their heads slightly, uncertain.

"_No? Oh well, ready or not, here I come__!" _

And with that, the whole world seemed instantly dyed red. The scenery turned from vibrant blues and greens to variations of red, the darkest being slightly deeper than Blossom's bow. It happened in the blink of an eye, leaving the girls confused and disoriented. Not only had the color of the atmosphere change, but the feel did also. Everything became sluggish and hazy, while a frightful energy seemed to electrify the air. The girls had just stepped into a living nightmare.

"_Welcome to my world, girls. Make yourself at home, but don't get too comfy. Your train is coming soon."_ The voice was light and cold, lingering on every word, savoring its hidden meaning.

"Train?! What train you talking about, loony? And why don't you show you're ugly mug, you coward!" Buttercup was standing fists clenched at her sides, eyes staring daggers at an invisible target.

The voice seemed a bit taken aback but soon replied with barely contained hate, _"My, my, such impatience! Ready to leave so soon, eh, Buttercup? And here I thought I'd be kind and let you girls say farewell. Alas, all in vain. Well, I'll be __**happy**__ to oblige!" _A loud unsettling cackling was followed by a sudden crack of noise, like the roar of thunder.

And with that the whole scenery began to blur, smudge, and twirl. Streets blended with trees, which blended with buildings and clouds. Up and down became unrecognizable. Blossoms head was swimming and her thoughts refused to come through the splitting pain. For once, Blossom could not think up a clever plan. Her mind felt empty and blank, a wasteland of static. Yet through the mist one question escaped,

"Who are you?"

It was small and strangled yet the spectral villain must have heard, because at that moment everything came to an abrupt stop. As Blossom came to, she realized nothing but white surrounded her. Then, to her horror, she realized her sisters were nowhere in sight. But before she could call out for them, a blurry shadow in the shape of a man formed in front of her. Something in her heart told her that this was the villain that had literally thrown her world upside down. A death glare settled permanently on her face as the figure began to speak,

"_Well, I suppose I should tell you that much. After all, what fun would this little game be if I didn't give you some hints along the way? My name is Eterno Maldire, although King of the World, Future Dictator, and Undisputed Ruler would fit just as well. "_

Blossom could feel rage start to well up uncontrollably inside her. Something about this guy infuriated her to the core. Perhaps it was the cocky and teasing tone present in every note of his voice or maybe it was the aura of superiority the figure emanated in excess. Whatever it was, Blossom had a deep desire to see a smoldering crater where he stood.

"You think this is all a game?!" Blossom finally yelled, to which the figure only laughed in reply; a warped little laugh of complete insanity. Anger slowly turned to confusion as this went on for almost 2 minutes. Then the figure finally seemed to compose itself enough to say,

"_Why, my dear child, __**everything**__ is a game! You'll learn this yourself someday soon, but for today I have said enough. A good villain never reveals too many secrets at one time, for where's the mystery in that? Trust me, we'll have __**plenty**__ of time to get to know each other later, but for now it's time to send you and your sisters on your way."_

And with those final words, Blossoms world started to slowly blur and fade away. This time however it was strangely tranquil and dream-like, totally different from the earlier swirling nightmare. Still Blossom fought to hold on. She still had so many questions for this mysterious entity, so many blanks to fill in. Yet the harder she struggled against the incoming haziness, the harder it became to resist and Blossom soon found herself lost in the black abyss of a deep slumber. In the back of her mind, a lullaby drifted softly through the darkness,

"Sleep little one,

May your dreams be sweet,

For when dreaming is done,

Only a nightmare you'll meet

Rest little hero,

Gather your strength,

For your chance is near zero,

At any length

Play little girl,

Upon a imaginary star,

For your fate will unfurl,

In a future far."

(A/N: Well, I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. This chapter is really a lead-in to the main plot, so expect a lot more action in the next one! Questions will be answered and new situations will arise. Also, the Rowdyruff Boys are planned to make an appearance next chapter. As far as romance, I'll mostly focus on Brick and Blossom, though I plan to add a little bit of something for all the RRB X PPG pairings.)


	2. Welcome to a Nightmare

An Uneasy Truce

Chapter 2: Welcome to a Nightmare

The first thing that struck Blossom upon regaining consciousness was the eerie and unsettling silence that permeated the area. Never had she known that pure silence could be so oppressive, so lonely. Yet occasionally there would be a break in the vacuum of sound; a small gust of wind, a paper scraping against the ground, or the hushed rustling of leaves. Blossom laid there for what seemed like an eternity just listening to the sullen melody around her then, after a long while, it finally occurred to her to open her eyes.

It came in undefined blurs at first, random splatterings of dull colors coming together to form a vague picture. Yet as her vision focused, the background slowly became clear. It was a sky that perfectly matched the silence surrounding it. A thick cover of grayscale clouds floated lamentably overhead, smothering the sun from shining its golden rays upon the Earth. Propping herself up unsteadily on her elbow, Blossom now had a panoramic view of a city in shambles. The whole area looked as if it had been abandoned in a panicked hurry; possessions lay strewn across the ground and cars were abandoned in the middle of the road. Many of the buildings that had once surrounded the area now existed only as crumbling walls and foundations struggling to hold their remaining shape. What had once been manicured lawns now grew wild and unruly, with weeds and tall grass jutting out of the ground at irregular angles. Even small craters pocketed the streets and sidewalks, showing signs of a violent struggle.

As Blossom sat in this abandoned wasteland, her thoughts slowly began to become clearer, more defined. She felt as if she was waking out of a long dream and walking straight into a nightmare. Along with clarity, confusion was quick to set in as she began questioning her surroundings. Where was she? Why was she here? And most importantly of all, where were her sisters? A wave of panic shot through Blossom's entire being as she realized she had no clue as to her sisters' whereabouts. Her gaze made a quick and erratic survey of the scene, hoping to find any trace of her two sisters. What she found instead shocked her. Off a little ways on a small lawn were two older women looking to be in their teens. Both were solidly unconscious and lying flat on the ground with their faces buried in the long grass. A small feeling of relief formed in her heart. They may not be her sisters, but they may be able to answer some questions that had been biting at her since her arrival to this bizarre town.

Blossoms first attempt to stand ended as shortly as it began. Pain coursed through her entire body from the exertion. Now fully aware and conscious, the immense soreness of her body finally hit her like a speeding train. The soreness was also accompanied by a feeling of weakness that left her reeling. Walking was definitely not an option, so Blossom did the next best thing; she crawled. Using mainly her arms, she began the exhausting process of pulling herself inch by painful inch across the marred pavement. Her body protested to every movement of her body by shooting yet another tendril of pain through her entire being. If she could only reach those two….she could get some answers. This thought alone was enough to propel Blossom across the urban wasteland undeterred. After what seemed like an eternity, she finally reached her destination.

Upon closer inspection Blossom realized that something was eerily familiar about the two teens now directly in front of her. Both had a rather ragged look about them. Their clothes were torn and fraying in several places. They were both wearing the remains of once vibrant dresses, the colors now only a faded shadow of their former glory and the hair of both women was long and frizzy looking as if it had not been cut in years. One was a blonde with hair as vibrant as the sun while the other had hair as black as night. However Blossom could tell that beyond their rather haggard appearance, the women were actually quite beautiful. Pulling herself a few more inches closer, Blossom decided to wake the raven haired woman first,

"Hello, miss?" Blossom asked cautiously while gently nudging the woman's shoulder. This elicited only a groan from the woman so Blossom tried nudging her shoulder again, this time a bit more forcefully.

"Miss….you okay?"

Another groan, this time followed by some muffled bits of English. Blossom could feel irritation starting to build inside her. This person slept like a log! She was immediately reminded of her sisters and realized she had only one option; she had to yell and yell LOUD.

"WAKE UP!" Blossom commanded at the top of her lungs. The sound seemed to carry for miles in the abandoned city and did just the trick, the woman quickly swung around to face Blossom, still lying on her back. A pair of startling green eyes glared up at her with barely contained irritation.

"I SAID 'WAKE ME UP LATER'! ARE YOU DEAF?! Geez…" The woman yelled back equally loud. She now sat with her arms crossed and her glare fixed on Blossom. Taken slightly aback by her outburst, Blossom just stared at the stranger for a few stunned seconds. As pink eyes met green, the strangers face went from anger to confusion. A look of disbelief made its way clearly across her face. Pink eyes…? Only one person in the entire world possessed such a rare eye color and that was…her sister.

"Blossom? Is that…you?" Confusion and disbelief hung heavy on every note of her sentence. Blossom upon hearing this immediately stiffened and froze from surprise. How did this strange woman know her name?

"Yes…but how do you know me?" Blossoms reply was cautious but curious at the same time. Her paranoid side could not help reminding her that this may be a trick.

"I'm your sister; Buttercup! How do you _not_ remember _me_!? And how did you get so _old_?!" Her tone was indignant while her eyes shot an accusing glare at her sister. For the second time, Blossom found herself frozen. The color drained from Blossom's face as the horrible realization hit her. It all fit together now! Adrenaline rushed through her system, leaving all of the earlier fatigue behind. Getting up unsteadily unto her feet, she ran quickly to a broken mirror that had caught her eye earlier. Looking back at her wide eyed from inside the scratched mirror was a scruffy teenager with very long red hair barely held back by a big faded bow. It took a few minutes for Blossom to except the truth that the mirror boldly declared; she and her sisters had somehow aged.

Buttercup, alarmed by her sister's sudden panic, was momentarily at her side. She too seemed a little wobbly on her feet as she made her way slowly over to the mirror. Her gaze, which had formally been so harsh, was softened by deep concern for her sister. Blossom acknowledged her presence by meeting her eyes and moving aside from the mirror. The message was clear; look in the mirror. Buttercup moved with great reluctance towards the mirror, as if something would jump out and eat her. Blossom watched as Buttercup stood stunned in front of the mirror. Blossom watched as Buttercup went through obvious stages: surprise, denial, confusion, and slow acceptance.

"So…we're really teens, huh?" It was more of a personal confirmation than a true question, but Blossom replied anyway, "Seems like it."

"And that means that girl over there is…" Buttercup's voice trailed off as she looked back over at the girl who had only seconds ago been a stranger.

"Bubbles." Blossom finished and with renewed confidence, Blossom gave her first orders, "Buttercup, go over there and wake up Bubbles. Fill her in on all the details. I'll fly up and see if I can make any sense of our location." Buttercup needed no second command and quickly went to tend to their still oblivious sister. She felt almost bad for having to wake Bubbles. Looking around her, she thought that maybe it was infinitely better to just be oblivious.

Blossom, meanwhile, was amazed at how easy flight was compared to walking. She drifted up into the perpetually gloomy sky with relative ease. Finally, when she had ascended around a hundred feet, Blossom halted and hovered over the ruins. Dismay flooded her emotions as she saw nothing but pure destruction for miles and miles. Wrecked homes, collapsing buildings, and impact craters of varying sizes riddled the city. Neither human nor beast seemed brave enough to make a movement among the ruins. Deciding to fly even higher, Blossom soon could see the whole layout of the city. As recognition hit her, the blood in her veins ran cold and she felt violently sick. This wasn't just any city…this was…

She had to tell her sisters.

Blossom sped down towards the ground at an incredible rate. Soon her sisters came into sight and Blossom slowed to a near halt as she made a smooth landing. To avoid panicking her already rattled sisters she had to act calmly, even though she was a twisted mess of swirling emotions on the inside. Buttercup had one arm around a now gently crying Bubbles, trying to calm the blonde. This did not surprise Blossom in the least. Bubbles had always hated death, doom, and destruction more than any of them and this place reeked of just that. Upon her approach, both sisters looked up hopefully at their leader. Blossom could feel her heart falling apart, piece by piece. What right did she have to deliver such life shattering news after so many traumas had already occurred in one day? Suddenly Blossom loathed her position as leader. As her eyes met theirs, all the hope drained from their once vibrant eyes. It was written all over her face; something was terribly, terribly wrong.

"So? Did you figure out where we are?" Buttercup looked on with anticipation waiting for Blossom's response.

"…….." However it didn't come. Blossom seemed to find something amazingly fascinating about the ground, because she refused to look them in the face. Buttercup pushed on.

"So? Spit it out already, Leader Girl!"

"Yeah, tell us." Bubbles joined in, voice reassuring.

"We're…..We're….." Blossom voice seemed to crack in distress as she struggled to continue, "In Townsville." She seemed to choke on the last word; _Townsville_. For a moment, there was silence. Only the ever present whistling of the wind could be heard over the silence of the girls' sudden revelation. The first to break the silence was the sound of quiet sobbing by the blonde sister. Meanwhile anger built up inside Buttercup and found its unfortunate outlet in Blossom.

"**That's impossible! You're lying!"** Buttercup was now two inches from Blossom and yelling with the full force of her rage. **"How can that possibly be right?! You must be seeing things!"**

"AND WHY WOULD I LIE ABOUT THIS?!" In her own grief, Blossom's patience had worn super thin. Trails of tears glistened on her face causing Buttercup to automatically back down. Convinced of this new truth, Buttercup simply walked silently away and sat on the remains of the curb facing away from both girls. It went on like this for a while, each Puff separated in their own little worlds, deaf to the cold reality that had trapped them mercilessly in its grasp. Mysteries of the past and uncertainties of the future loomed heavily over the three as one question prevailed over all: What next?

* * *

The energy of tension and anticipation ran through the air like electricity. Everyone on base was scattering to and fro in preparation for the big event. The hushed whispers of gossip and rumors could be heard all around. Would the big mission end in success or failure? No one really knew. The rewards for success were high; three new super-powered allies that could tip the scale in their favor. The consequences of failure were equally crushing. After a series of overwhelming defeats, the Rebellion was wearing down fast. Morale and hope were falling fast. The acquisition of these new allies would add some much needed fuel to the flames of the Rebel cause.

Amongst all the hustle and bustle, stood the Rowdyruff Boys. Excitement and impatience flowed freely through their veins as they eagerly waited for their mission to begin. They strained their eyes to search for a particular black and green monkey amongst the hodge-podge of hurried people. They were not kept waiting long. Soon Mojo JoJo appeared, wearing a long white lab coat and reading a clip board with extreme concentration. Stopping only a few feet away from the boys, Mojo made no haste in beginning his briefing,

"Since you boys already know the basics of your mission, I will make this quick. That is to say, that my brilliant explanation shall be short and compacted. It shall be to the point, direct…"

Brick let out a frustrated sigh, "Get _on_ with it, already! Sheesh."

Mojo stopped and gave a sharp look of disapproval to Brick who only replied by rolling his eyes. Under his breath Mojo mumbled something about "Unruly teenagers" and continued on,

"Your mission today is simple: Retrieve the Powerpuff Girls and return them to base unharmed. You must move quickly. Our intelligence unit has gathered that enemy forces are likely to be present at the location. I have uploaded the approximate co-ordinates on your Telecommunicators. Any quest…"

"Nope" All three boys replied in unison. Just as quickly as the word was uttered, the Rowdyruff boys had flown through the roof and out of sight. Mojo was left to simply stare at the now gaping hole in the main hall. He made a quick mental note to radio the roof repair agent for the twelfth time this week. Mojo briefly wondered why all chemical-x powered beings loved to destroy defenseless ceilings and then scuttled along back to the lab muttering random complaints about the teen species.

* * *

Brick's breath caught a little as they neared the programmed co-ordinates. The whole flight to their target had been immersed in silence. Each boy was too engaged in their own thoughts to carry on much conversation. The suspense that hung unannounced in the air around them was so thick that it could almost be tasted. It had been many, many years since they had last seen or heard of the Powerpuff Girls and they honestly didn't know what to expect. What exactly had happened to them between then and now was not clear to anyone. And yet somewhere inside their hearts the Rowdyruff Boys held onto the image of the goody-two-shoes ten year olds they had known as kids. Surely they couldn't be so much different? And yet doubt lingered.

A wave of relief washed over Brick as he gained visual confirmation of the targets. All three girls were sitting against the remains of a crumbling wall, gazes looking forward and yet at nothing. Scanning the scene, Brick was immensely pleased at the lack of enemies. But he was no fool. They would come and come very soon for time was a commodity in short command.

A rather mischievous smirk grew across Brick's face as he spoke, "Okay, mission time, boys! You know the plan; convince the puffs to come with us and bring 'em on home. Of course, no one said we couldn't have a little fun while we're at it. "His smirk only grew wider as he continued, "Remember the formation we'd always line up in to fight the girls? Well, let's do it again…for old time's sake." Both boys now had a smirk that matched their leaders. No time was wasted in landing ungracefully on the ground a few feet from the girls. Three sets of surprised eyes locked instantly with the boys.

In a mirror of the past, there stood the Rowdyruff Boys, some of the Powerpuff Girls most dangerous enemies. To the left was the gentle blonde named Boomer, to the right the avid fighter, Butch, and directly in the middle was the leader, Brick. Brick stood with his arms crossed and his red eyes fixed intently on his counterparts rose-colored eyes. The trademark smirk played easily across his face. Inside he felt happy that it all still felt so familiar and natural as did his greeting,

"Hello girls."

(A/N: Finally the chapter is done! I found the beginning surprisingly difficult to write. However now we are getting into the good stuff! Next chapter shall be a whole smorgasbord of exciting events and reveals. Thanks to all the people who left reviews, alerts, and faves. They are much appreciated and lighten up my day. I just hope you enjoy this chapter as much as the last or hopefully even more!)


	3. We Meet Again

An Uneasy Truce

Chapter 3: We Meet Again

The realm could only be described as creepy and thoroughly sinister. The sky was an unsettling mixture of blacks, grays, and reds all swirling and intermixing with each other. Underneath the unwelcoming sky lay a meadow, as still as a black and white photo. Not a single whisper of wind graced the tops of the trees or long grass. Everything was painted solemn shades of gray and stood still as if time itself had frozen. At first one would claim that not a sound made itself known through the oppressive silence. Yet, when one listened carefully, they could hear a very soft, almost non-existent melody. It was a faint and almost sweet sounding tune except something in it was very twisted. Just a pinch of insanity and poison weaved in out of the lyrics. However it was enough to inspire chills in the most hardened person. And in the midst of all this chaos, sat a lone figure on a throne atop a tall hill.

It is a little known fact in the land of mortals that an otherworldly realm will always match the inner being of its master. When a realm is conquered or created it automatically takes the shape and nature of its master's soul. Every aspect and hidden quality is brought out and projected into a mirror of a person's true soul. And so it was that this twisted realm belonged to an equally twisted individual. The figure on throne was none other than Maldire himself, dressed in a long flowing black robe. A small smile of amusement lay contentedly on his face as he watched a large portal suspended in the air in front of him.

"Ah, today is the day." A twinge of excitement echoed in his tone, "Have our special visitors arrived yet, I wonder?" And with a wave of his hand the screen faded and quickly re-adjusted to show three battered looking girls in the middle of the ruins of Townsville. They looked lost, confused, and alone. Maldire drank in the scene with ecstasy. What irony! The three once proud protectors of Townsville sitting in the very ruins of their precious city. Their combined despair only enlivened him. Then an idea hit him. Why not raise the stakes and make the game a little more interesting? A small yet thoroughly awful cackle escaped his lips. Truly this was a marvelous idea! With another wave of his hand a shadowy figure appeared on the screen. The creature was muscular and quite tall. Two sharp and glowing eyes gleamed back into Maldire's dull grey orbs. The creatures outline was wispy and pure black giving it an appearance of transparency. Atop its head was an ornate war helmet of pure silver.

"Hello, General." Maldire greeted the shadowy general with a smile, "I trust everything is going well on the war front?"

"Of course, Grand Ruler." The general's tone was the essence of cool confidence, "A few minor rebel attacks occurred on our eastern flank. Little pests caused some superficial damage to our bases before we brought them down. No survivors were left, as per your orders, sir."

"Excellent. I am excited to announce that I have a new mission for you and your men, general. I need you to send a company of your finest men over to sector 7 of the ruins. Their mission is to hunt down and eliminate these three, The Powerpuff Girls" Maldire made another motion of his hand and conjured up an image of the girls. The general's face contorted for a split second into an expression of surprise.

"Grand Ruler, sir, aren't they already….dead?" Confusion heavily laced the shadow's words. Maldire found this response amazingly amusing and responded in an almost playful tone, "Oh no, no my dear general. However they soon will be." The last sentence came out as a distinct warning, "And you will ensure of this am I correct?" Maldire's eyes were now level with the general's in an unyielding stare.

"Absolutely, sir."

"Then be on your way and do not fail me. I will be looking forward to the detailed report on their demise. Make sure to include _all_ the details. I want it to feel as if I was there to feel the carnage." Of course in reality a report was completely unnecessary as he could see it all from his screen. Yet being an old fashioned soul Maldire strongly believed in the power of words and torturing his officers with long reports.

"Yes, sir! General Orion signing off." With a quick salute, the conversation was abruptly ended. Left to the solitude of his domain, Maldire sang a twisted little tune while sitting triumphantly on his throne;

"_Once upon a time there were three heroines brave and true,_

_They protected the town and saved the day,_

_Till their luck was through_

_One day a great evil,_

_Thorough and swift,_

_Caused a chaotic upheaval,_

_And threw our heroes into a time rift._

_Demon or human?_

_No one's quite sure_

_Only that he left suffering too great to endure"_

_-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

"The Rowdyruff Boys!"

The girls' reactions were swift and natural from years of habit. Almost instantly all three were in battle ready stances, bodies tense and waiting for the almost inevitable fight. After countless encounters with the Rowdyruff Boys they had learned one thing: things never ended peacefully when _they_ were involved. Agitated by their current situation and wary of the boys' intentions, it took Blossom merely seconds to make the call; they were going to fight before they could strike first.

"Girls, Maneuver 27!" On command all three girls went flying through the sky leaving only a trail of multi-colored light behind them. Left behind was one rather surprised Brick. To some extent, he had expected and anticipated this reaction. After all, the Powerpuffs and the Rowdyruffs had been enemies since their creation. Fighting between the two groups was a natural as the rivalry between cats and dogs. Yet, due to the situation he had hoped they might just go along peacefully. How did they manage to gather enough will to fight after witnessing the charred remains of their beloved city? He let out a small sigh. They were something else.

Looking back at his brothers, he gave a simple signal. With the raising of a hand a message was silently communicated: _Don't fight and hold your ground_. Boomer nodded his head in comprehension while Butch shot his brother a clearly disappointed look. Brick had to hold back from shaking his head in exasperation. Butch loved fighting more than anything and missing this opportunity to fight an equally matched rival from the past was killing him. Deep inside, Brick understood this perfectly. He too wished to fight the Powerpuff Girls just like old times. However, the rematch would have to wait. Now, time was scarce and the clock was ticking.

Having ordered his brothers, Brick turned his full attention back onto the girls. Already he could see the intention of the attack; Buttercup and Bubbles would attack from the sides while Blossom would follow up with an attack from the front. The attack was meant to trap an enemy by blocking most escape paths, effectively pinching them into a corner. It would have been a clever plan back when they were kids, however since the beginning of the war Brick had become a master strategist. He could read through enemy movements like a hawk. There was just enough time to give a few more complicated signals to his team: _Attacks from the left, right, and front. Evasive maneuvers __**only**__. _The last order was repeated for Butch's sake.

Finally the gap between the two opposing forces closed. At once, everything became a flurry of kicks and punches. Strikes flew through the air at superhuman speeds, yet they always missed their intended target by a hair. The girls were hitting hard and fast with every bit of strength that remained in them. Meanwhile, the boys were dodging their attempts with amazing ease. In fact, they looked rather bored. This went on for a while until Buttercup finally exploded, "Stay still, why don't ya?! Aaaargh! Why won't you fight back?!" Buttercup's only answer was a quick begrudging glance that Butch threw towards their leader while dodging an incoming kick. It was at this point that the torrent of attacks slowly eased and, seeing that the Rowdyruffs apparently had no desire to fight, eventually stopped all together. Once again the Powerpuffs stood in front of their arch enemies, still ready for anything to happen. The Rowdyruff Boys refusing a fight? Something was definitely wrong.

"So, what are you up to now?" Blossom's eyes glared into the deep ruby eyes of the leader across from her. Her voice was laced with a large amount of suspicion and caution, yet hidden in her tone was a hint of curiosity. She began to frown slightly when the familiar smug smirk reappeared on his face. God, how she hated that condescending smirk.

"_Ouch_," Brick pretended to be hurt while placing his hand over his heart, "What's with all the hostility, babe? All we did was say hello. _You_ were the ones who attacked _us_." Blossom cringed slightly when he used the nickname "babe". Brick saw this and was quite happy that he had found a way to get under her skin.

"Oh, _please_." Blossom rolled her eyes as she placed her hands on her hips, "Remember just last week when we were minding our own business and you boys came demanding to fight us? The picnic we had planned was ruined after that! This is just karma biting you in the butt!"

Instead of the snide remark Blossom expected, all she heard was silence. Confusion flitted across Brick's face as he put his hand up to his chin. For a few moments he seemed to be in very deep thought. Then, with a great deal of regret, he finally replied, "Sorry, I forgot." Blossom was in a state of disbelief; was Brick's memory really that horrible?

"Brick that was just _last week_! Bubbles punched Boomer right into the ground and destroyed our picnic, remember?" Blossom added trying to jog his mind.

Brick searched his memory deeply once more for the any trace of the event. His face was the portrait of concentration. Then a light bulb seemed to go off in his head. Suddenly his whole face lit up with the memory.

"Yeah, and Boomer was covered in food afterword! It took three days to wash off the smell of coleslaw! Boy, can your old man make some _foul_ smelling stuff!" Brick and Butch were now laughing heartily, finding their brother's plight hilarious. However, Boomer's face bunched up in a scowl and a frown dominated his face. A slight shiver ran down his spine from the memory of the stench. Bubbles attempted to give an apologetic look to Boomer, though he was too busy fuming at his brothers to notice.

"It's not funny! At least you two could walk away! I had to live with the stench day in and day out! I'd like to see you two put up with it for three days!" Boomer continued to indignantly yell at his brothers till their laughter slowly faded. Then Brick seemed to remember something serious and looked over to Blossom with grave intent,

"Blossom?"

"Yes?"

"Did you say we ruined your picnic _last_ week?"

"Of course, last Tuesday, I think."

"…" An unsettling silence rung in the air until Brick quietly continued on, "Blossom…That day…was _10 years_ ago." Blossom and her sisters blanched, while the boys carefully watched their reactions. For Brick this confirmed his worst theory; that the girls were not aware of what had happened to them. Surprisingly, Bubbles was the first to reply, "That…can't be right. Just yesterday the sky was blue, the grass was green and and…the town was filled with happy people…and the Professor- you're wrong…" Bubbles looked up hopefully to see if Brick's expression would change to tell her this was all a bad joke. It never budged. Then, Bubbles began to cry softly. Buttercup, though just as upset as Bubbles, walked over to comfort her blonde sister. Blossom, meanwhile, was rooted firmly in place.

"10 years…10 whole years…" Though she wished to deny it, Blossom knew that the boys told the truth. The final piece of the puzzle was in place. Mixed with her grief was a small sense of relief at having even a small grasp on the situation. Now, she could begin to plan again. Blossom nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt a strong masculine hand set comfortingly on her shoulder. One quick glance up proved that it was Brick, who stared off into distance. Blossom was torn between feeling anger or gratefulness at his touch. She settled on the latter. Besides, something was strangely soothing about his presence at the moment. Suddenly, Blossom remembered her first question that had since been evaded.

"Brick, what were you really doing out here?"

Bricks eyes finally gazed down at her, "Our mission."

"Which was?"

"To find and bring you back to our base." Brick looked down at his telecommunicator with worry, "And we're running out of…" Blossom watched as Brick stiffened abruptly. He seemed to be on high alert, scanning the surrounding area. His brothers likewise looked on guard.

"Brick?"

"Shhhh!" He looked almost jumpy as he continued his watch, "Listen…" At first Blossom heard nothing but the eerily familiar silence, yet when she focused she began to hear something more. Breathing, footsteps, the swooshing of grass, and the rattling of equipment. Brick hissed, "Damn, they have us surrounded. I was too distracted."

"Who has us surrounded?" Blossom, too, was starting to become very alarmed.

"Maldire's Imperial Army" Brick explained, loathing caking his voice, "If we want to escape we're going to have to move fast. I've got a plan." He then smiled and looked gently into Blossoms pink orbs, "Do you trust me?"

Blossom seemed to consider it for a second and then smiled mischievously at him, "No, not one bit. But you're plan will have to do." Brick smiled and then turned serious as he signaled the plan to his anxious brothers: _Grab the girls and fly on my command_. Both nodded their heads gravely and focused their sights on the two girls still oblivious to the oncoming ambush. Once Blossom was informed of the plan, the only thing left was to wait for the perfect time to escape. Closer…closer…closer…closer…

NOW!

"Fly!"

In an instant, all three girls were swept up and carried into the air with two protesting heavily at their sudden departure. Just as quickly, a halo of gunfire erupted from the ground below. Bullets whizzed through the air as thick as rain. Only the boys' expert evasive skills kept the bullets from tearing through their intended targets. Frustrated yells and grunts drifted through the static air as the army missed its prey. Blossom marveled at the sheer number of soldiers on the ground. Almost 300 soldiers crowded the neighborhood below en masse! And to top it off, some of the soldiers didn't even look human, instead taking the form of giant nightmarish shadows.

"So many…"

Brick scoffed, "And yet not a drop in the bucket!" Blossom looked down in wonderment. Exactly how big _was_ Maldire's Army? And most importantly why were they after them?

When they had long escaped the danger of gunfire, the girls were allowed to fly solo once again. While taking a rest, Blossom filled in the details of their situation for Bubbles and Buttercup. It was then that Bubbles asked the question, "So, where is this base?" Lost for an answer, Blossom simply looked over at Brick with a questioning stare. He took the hint and replied matter-of-factly,

"About 30 miles from the old town hall. It should only take us a few hours if we fly non-stop."

Looking back at the direction they had come from, Blossom realized one very important and frightening fact. They had nothing to return to and nowhere to call home. The vibrant metropolis which had once been Townsville was now a desolate wasteland incapable of sustaining life. And deep inside, Blossom knew that their house was also sitting in the rubble of the cityscape. All that had been familiar and comfortable was destroyed forever. The only remaining tie to their past lied within these three boys who had so suddenly switched from the worst of enemies to helpful allies. Some day she would look back, but for now there was only one option: they had to move forward.

"Well, what are we waiting for?"

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AN: Well, after a long wait here is chapter 3! I had a lot of fun writing this chapter; mainly the parts including Maldire and the RRB. I seem to have fallen into the Universal Curse of the Fanfiction Writer: A busy and hectic real life. However, from now on I'll try my absolute hardest to make my goal of 1 chapter a week. I hope this chapter was worth the wait!

Preview Ch. 4: We finally arrive at the base and the girls are introduced to some rather familiar and villainous comrades. How will they adapt to their new home?

Thank you for reading!


	4. Of Murders, Mysteries and Reunions

An Uneasy Truce

Chapter 4: Of Murders, Mysteries and Reunions

The General of Maldire's army paced back and forth anxiously. His plan and his army had failed to capture the key figures in Maldire's plan. Questions swirled through his head. How had they known the girls' locations? How had they arrived before them? How had his plan failed? However the most important of all these questions to the generals was; what was going to happen to him? Maldire was notorious for his cruelty and non-tolerance. When a mission failed, someone almost always died a horrible gruesome death for their "incompetence". And on some occasions the victim had been an innocent foot soldier turned scape goat. Maldire was all about retribution, fair or unfair. And now that he had ruined what should have been their greatest success, the General's fate was sealed. He was officially a dead man walking.

Many walked by the General on that average miserable day, yet none stopped to offer words of comfort. No soldier would acknowledge his very existence. The eyes of the soon deceased were avoided as each soldier walked mechanically to their next task. Even before the announcement of his death penalty, everyone knew what would befall their young general. It had already been decided the moment that the six super powered teens flew up in a rainbow of light, escaping the General's deadly grasp. Death on the camp was so common, so every day, that it left no emotion in the hearts of the soldiers. They travelled on like robots, rigidly and with single-minded purpose, uncaring of the death of their very own leader. As the General watched the blank faces of the soldiers passing by he had only one thought, "Is this what it's like to be dead yet alive?"

Morosely, the General made his way back to his cluttered desk. Plans lay scattered haphazardly across the table while a radio chattered away on the corner. Plastered on the walls were aerial pictures of the enemy bases and many notes on how to destroy them. At the front of the desk sat a gold scripted name plate that read "_General Saber, General of Maldire's Own Imperial Army_". It was then that his eyes landed on a faded photo in a silver frame. It was a picture of his family; a wife and 3 kids. As he picked up the photo in his unsteady hands, his eyes began to fog over with tears. They would never see him again and without his military support to protect them, they would become mind slaves to Maldire. As grief exploded into anger, the General violently wiped everything off his desk with a clatter. Finally, General Saber sat down and held his head in his hands. Hope was lost.

It was at that moment that the big flat screen descended from the roof of the General's office. Saber did not even bother to lift his head. He knew who it was and he knew why they were here. The grim reaper had landed and it was time to pay the piper.

"General?"

"Yes, sir."

"You know why I'm here do you not?" Maldire's voice had taken on a tone of eerie coolness.

"Yes, sir. I failed the mission."

"Oh, and not just any mission either. You just screwed up the most important mission in the history of the Army! However, I must give you some congrats. You have just made my little game so much more interesting now that the enemy has a "secret weapon". I was growing tired of their feeble attempts to survive. Regardless, the penalty for failing to successfully complete a mission is death. And I shall be particularly…creative on your death. So, are you ready General? On the count of three." a wicked smile passed over the thin, pale face of Maldire. He was taking sure delight in this.

"1"

"…"

"2"

"…" The General now looked out at the sunset with absent eyes

"3!"

At first, nothing appeared to happen and a look of confusion made its way onto the General's face. Suddenly, the door to the office was forcefully kicked open. Standing there were his soldiers, rigid and eyes turned red. Each had the murderous and delirious look of a killer. Horror struck the General as he finally comprehended Maldire's plans. He had taken manual control over their minds. The lead soldier took a staggering step forward toward the cowering General. Frantically, he looked around for another route of escape. Yet there was only the front door. He was trapped.

"Whoever kills the general first and shows me his badge gets his position."

That was all it took. A flood of men piled into the room until no space was left to breath. The poor general had no chance as a wall of man assaulted him with a flurry of punches and kicks. Soon he was knocked flat onto the ground and piled on top of. Punch after punch, kick after kick, slowly he was eliminated. Then, whether it was luck or misfortune, one lone soldier pulled a knife and stabbed him in the chest. It was then that the general took his last breath. Seeing this, men grabbed greedily at his shirt hoping to get his collar brass. The blood, the heat, the smell, none of it mattered. When one finally ceased it the others beat him down to obtain it themselves. It was an all out brawl. In the end, the man who had delivered the final blow brought the badge to Maldire.

"Good job, General…Say, what should we call you?"

"Cuts, sir."

"Welcome, General Cuts." Maldire's sickeningly cheery voice had returned yet again as he congratulated his new leader. "Now why don't you show off your new badge for everyone to see?"

A single figure in a room filled with greed and murder stood tall. And clasped in his raised hand was the badge of General Saber which had once been polished with pride, now dripping with thick, red blood.

* * *

"Are we there YET?" Buttercup complained as she crossed her arms, clearly annoyed.

"Yeah, Blossom…" Bubbles yawned, "We're _tired_…"

Blossom simply sighed after hearing the same question for the 12th time that day. Ever since their narrow escape from the army, they had been flying non-stop. The inky blackness of night was now quickly setting in on the wrecked city. The damage to the town had been worse than she feared. For miles around, the scenery stayed the same; a deserted city in ruins. And to make matters worse she had no idea where they were going and with no surviving landmarks she couldn't figure it out either. Where was this base that Brick talked about? The whole situation was unsettling to Blossom, and yet she knew that she had no choice but to trust Brick. Even if her mind adamantly told her otherwise.

"We're here." Brick's sudden statement halted Blossom's thoughts.

"FINALLY!"

"Yay!"

The group stopped and came to hover over what looked to be an old abandoned warehouse. Automatically, alarms were going off in Blossom's head. What if they had been lying this whole time? What if this was just another plan to destroy them? A million doubts began to fill her head to the brim. Her apprehension began to show as she visibly stiffened. Blossom prayed that Brick wouldn't notice. No such luck.

"You don't trust us do you?" Blossom could barely contain her shock when she felt Brick whispering into her ear. Out of instinct, she quickly darted a few feet away from him and stared back with wide eyes. Brick simply raised an eyebrow and after a few seconds began to laugh.

"Ha ha ha…you're reaction…ha ha..priceless!" Brick was now rolling around in the sky laughing. Seeing his reaction, Blossom turned defensive, "Hey! That's not funny!" She crossed her arms over her chest and glared indignantly at her counterpart. Brick suddenly stopped laughing and looked over at Blossom with the most serious face she had ever seen. Blossom was taken completely off guard until…

"Yes it is, babe!" The serious face began to quiver and soon returned to hysterical laughter. Blossom's face was the picture of disbelief. The transition from disbelief to fury was quick and unfortunately for Brick he was too preoccupied to notice it.

"BRICK, I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" Blossom finally exploded and rushed to tackle Brick. Brick saw the tackle coming just seconds before it hit. "Uh oh." Unable to avoid the charge, the two collided with a thud. Brick quickly threw Blossom off of him and flew off into the sky, Blossom quickly on his tail. All four siblings watched on in amusement. Butch simply shrugged his shoulders and said, "Redheads." The other three nodded their heads in agreement.

Up higher in the sky, two streaks of pink and red were fighting on. Or at least one was. Blossom grew increasingly frustrated as Brick continued to dodge every single attack thrown his way. He was obviously toying with her again. An entertained smile stayed glued to his face as he weaved in and out of his opponent's attacks. Blossom felt her anger boil over again when a familiar smirk formed. "Did you slow down over the years, or am I just that good?" His eyes bore challengingly into Blossom's pink orbs. She was about to gladly accept when a loud ringing sounded from his pocket. Brick reluctantly picked it up and a loud voice immediately erupted from it, "WHERE ARE YOU? I SENT YOU OUT 6 WHOLE HOURS AGO! 6 HOURS, BRICK! THIS IS MOST UNAMUSING!" Brick held the telecommunicator away from him as the monkey continued to ramble on.

"Mojo!" Blossom gasped in surprise

"What, who's that? Ah, I see you have completed your mission." Mojo's voice had changed from furious to pleased in mere seconds. "Bring the girls back to base as soon you can. I simply can't wait to show them their new family." With that last foreboding sentence the telecommunicator clicked off. Brick quickly shoved the telecommunicator in his pocket. His face clearly revealed his disappointment, "Well, babe, it looks like we'll have to save this fight for another day." Blossom just glared back at him and muttered a quiet "Fine." A few seconds of silence passed as the two returned to their siblings until Blossom voiced something that had bothered her since Mojo had called, "Brick, who exactly lives at this base?" He pretended not to hear her question and refused to look her way. "_Brick_" It was a warning. "There'll be some familiar faces…" Brick attempted to skirt around the question. "Really?" For the first time since they had found them, Blossom's voice was full of hope. Brick instantly felt guilty.

They were soon reunited with their siblings, who were waiting impatiently at the entrance of the warehouse. "It's not fair, man! Why do you always have all the fun?" Butch complained to Brick as they entered the cool storage building. Brick simply smiled and said, "Because I'm cooler than you." He blew a wisp of his ice breath to prove his point. Butch was about to punch Brick in the head when Boomer shot him a warning glance. There was no time for that. Forced to surrender for the moment, Butch crossed his arms and glared daggers at his back muttering, "Smart ass."

Finally they arrived at what appeared to be a security door. It stuck out from its surroundings like a sore thumb. Unlike the rest of the shabby warehouse this area was polished metallic and looked brand new. Brick approached the door and rapidly punched in a series of codes into the keypad. As they watched, even Blossom couldn't keep up. A few seconds later a robotic voice chimed its acceptance, "Access Approved. Welcome back to Central Headquarters." With that the welded metal doors slowly opened with a swoosh. Beyond the door was a long white hallway which slanted sharply and opened up to a large room ahead. Before they entered the hallway Brick looked back at Blossom and asked a seemingly harmless question,

"Are you ready for this?"

Blossom instantly froze; her whole body went rigid as her eyes took on a faded look. The world around her began to quickly fade and was replaced with fragments of memories, horrible, dreadful memories both of her own and of others. Emotions of anger, fear, and hopelessness came flooding in unrestricted. Even more frightening were the visions of the future which were filled to the brim with blood and sadness. The Rowdyruff Boys and her sisters looked on in horror as Blossom fell to her knees. She seemed to struggle against whatever was happening for a while until she collapsed for good.

Brick was at her side in a second, scooping her up hastily into his arms.

"To the Infirmary!"

No one wasted any time in following his orders, each sprinting closely behind him. As they rushed forward they soon entered what appeared to be a grand hall with high white walls and marble flooring. Much more interesting then the room itself were its occupants. Several high profile villains from Townsville's heyday were scattered around the room, walking busily to one meeting or another; Princess, the Gang Green Gang, Sedusa, HIM and Mojo Jojo just to name a few. Among these were also a bevy of common foot soldiers for the rebellion. Upon Brick's dramatic entrance, everyone in the room stopped everything they were doing to watch the unfolding scene. Mojo was the first to make a move. Hopping on a hover board Mojo soon caught up to the panicked teens.

"Brick, I demand to know what happened this instant!" Brick ignored and continued to run full speed ahead. "How dare you ignore me, your creator? Why I ought to…" Brick tuned out Mojo's voice as they neared their destination. A turn left, a turn right, and there they were. He quickly shoved the door open and called out to the one man he knew could help, "Professor!"

A familiar figure in a lab coat twirled around to greet Brick, "Why, hello Brick what seems to be the…" Time stood still for a moment. Many emotions passed through Utonium in that instant: Horror, relief, disbelief, and elation. The daughters that he had thought lost for 10 years had finally returned. His only family had finally returned to him. However this was definitely not the reunion he had wanted. In the arms of her counterpart, was the limp form of his daughter Blossom. Her clothes were tattered and she was breathing very faintly. And behind her were Buttercup and Bubbles. Bubbles was sobbing quietly while Buttercup looked down at the floor with absent eyes. Upon hearing his voice, both looked up in surprise. Bubbles immediately ran to the Professor's side and began to choke out explanations through the tears, "Blossom *sob* fainting *sniff* no reason…" The Professor put one comforting hand on her back.

Then the Professor quickly jumped into action. After yelling a few stern orders at his assistants, he walked over to Brick and his daughter. The Professor looked deep into Brick's eyes and held out his arms to take Blossom. At first, Brick was reluctant to hand over Blossom but quickly yielded. Picking up his daughter with fatherly tenderness, he walked over to a cot and placed her down. Then the real treatment began; tests were run and treatments were given.

After a frenzied hour of constant movement, things began to slow down. Blossom's condition steadied and the Professor was now able to take a sigh of relief. Poking his head out into the small waiting area, he saw that all of the teens were now fast asleep in the chairs. There would be no real point in waking them up. It was then that he returned to his daughter's bedside and sat in the small wooden chair next to the bed. It was unbelievable. She and her sisters were alive, after so many years. Alive, after all the rumors. Not only were they alive, they were actually here, with him. He smiled warmly down at Blossom and moved a strand of hair from her sleeping face.

"I told them you were alive…I told them…not to lose…hope…" Exhaustion finally overcame the Professor as he dosed off at his daughter's side.

* * *

Somewhere in another realm Maldire's wicked laughter run through the air. "So some fool already hit the trigger phrase that I planted all those years ago, hmm? This makes things so much more…interesting. Soon, my dear, you shall be mine." The laughter revived with more vigor than ever and soon broke out into wicked song,

_A trap hidden in the mind,_

_Far from where the eye can see,_

_You'll leave your kin behind,_

_And belong only to me._

_Eyes so caring,_

_Now turn black,_

_Leave the world despairing, _

_In your track._

_So come to my world,_

_And you shall see,_

_It's not much fun working for me._

(Author's Note: Sure hope you like it! Sorry for the wait…life got REAL busy all the sudden. A LOT changed unexpectedly in this chapter from my original idea, however I think most of it was for the best. Please enjoy and thanks to all my readers out there!)


	5. In Your Mind

An Uneasy Truce 5

Chapter 5: In Your Mind

The area around Blossom was an endless plane of darkness. For miles around the only color was a deep, dark black. Piercing silence emanated the feeling of loneliness. Slowly time was becoming a lost concept. How long had she been here, a few minutes, a couple of hours, a month, a year? A lone dot of color stood confused and lost among an uncaring backdrop. For a while the situation seemed utterly hopeless, that is, until a voice made itself known.

"Hello, girl! What brings you here?" The voice boomed out of the blackness itself, sounding both curious and amused. Blossom looked around for a body to match the voice but was shocked when she found none.

"I'm not really sure…Where is "here"?" Her voice sounded small and insecure as it echoed through the void. The voice broke out into unbridled laughter,

"My, my! You of all people should know! Why, you're inside your mind, dear!" Blossom was taken-aback by this new revelation,

"That's not possible! How could I be in my head?"

"Hmmm…" The voice seemed contemplative, "Well, taken any hits to the head recently?"

Blossom subconsciously rubbed her head, "I don't think so…" The voice seemed to take great humor in this as well.

"I suppose most people don't! In any case, you're unconscious. That is the only way you can exist here."

Gradually, Blossom was starting to piece it all together. Yet one thing still bothered her… "Why is it so empty in here? And why don't you have a body? I always expected my mind to be a bit more…" Words failed her, but the voice was kind enough to finish,

" Busy? Vibrant? The answer is quite simple. You simply haven't thought of anything yet! Go ahead, imagine any place you want." For a time, Blossom stood in disbelief. This voice was insane! How could she create a place out of thin air? Eventually she yielded to the preposterous idea, reasoning she had nothing to lose. Closing her eyes tight, she imagined the bustling metropolis of Townsville basked in the golden rays of sunrise. There was a brief whoosh and, like magic, the droll black scenery was lifted like a curtain to reveal the former Townsville. Blossom opened her eyes when she felt the feeling of pavement below her feet. There she was among the skyscrapers and small businesses of her beloved town with citizens happily walking by. Some even greeted her. It was heart wrenching and breathtaking at the same time. Blossom jumped as the voice rejoined her. This time it was much more warm and comforting,

"Beautiful, isn't it?" The voice was wistful and sad, "You know, I remember it all…"

Tears began to flow down her face, "But how…Townsville is…is…g-go-gone." Her voice broke at the last word and she fell to her knees. Suddenly, she felt a pair of strong, comforting arms encircle her. Shock ran through her body as she looked up and saw a man who looked uncomfortably similar to Brick. Her reaction was automatic and swift, "Brick! What are you doing here?" She leapt back a good foot and stared down a rather confused counterpart. Abruptly, the counterpart began to laugh hysterically. That sounded like him too and made Blossom roll her eyes.

"I'M not Brick. I'm your little friend, the voice! I only took the form of your most recent memory so I could comfort you more directly." The Brick look-alike turned to teasing, "So who is this Brick guy anyway? Your BOYFRIEND?"

"NO WAY!" Blossom yelled at the top of her lungs and immediately took an aggressive stance.

"Sheesh, okay, okay." The voice rubbed his ears, "I'm just teasing. After all, I am the keeper of your memories and emotions. How could I NOT know your feelings?"

Blossom backed away, "Keeper of my memories and emotions?" The voice grinned widely, "Correct and now in the flesh!" He patted his fake body with pride, "I'm in charge of regulating and storing all memories and emotions. Impressive, huh?" He seemed to look at her for approval. All he got was a contemplative stare.

"So you remember everything about my life?"

"Correct." The keeper suddenly straightened and looked very serious.

"And all this…" Blossom turned away from the keeper and looked off into the cityscape.

"Fragments of memories thrown together." He looked apologetically at Blossom's back, "If I could give you the real thing…oh, Blossom…" Her emotions of grief stabbed through him like a knife. He reached for her and softly rested his hand on her shoulder; however she was far beyond him.

"Everything's gone…the city…the town…ten whole years of our lives…it all disappeared, just like that." Her shoulders began to heave as she sobbed quietly. Gently, the keeper embraced Blossom in a soft hug from behind. The keeper was now riddled with guilt.

"I never should have let you see this…it was too much, too soon. I'm sorry Blossom. Truly sorry…"

"No, no…I'm glad to see the city one more time, at least." A sad smile graced her face as she looked back at the keeper disguised as Brick. Deep inside she was thankful for the opportunity to see Townsville one last time, even if it was painful. The keeper naturally felt this and was slightly relieved. There were a few seconds of pleasant silence until Blossom had a sudden revelation,

"I don't want to leave." Blossom said this while looking nostalgically at the town.

"I'm afraid you must. There is still much for you to accomplish in the real world." Th keeper paused for a thoughtful second, "Besides people are waiting for you…"

"Really, who?" This was a stubborn challenge to keep form leaving and the keeper met it head on.

"Why, your sisters, the boys, especially Bri-" Blossom sent a glare his way, challenging him to continue that sentence. "Ahem…either way, you still have people who care about you. Remember that." He gave her one last stern look, "You must return."

Blossom took one last longing look at her past home and turned to face the keeper directly. With a sign she relented, "Fine, I'll go back." A huge warm smile spread across the keepers face.

"That's my girl." With that he gingerly placed his hand one her forehead and stared into Blossoms eyes with soft intensity, "Ready to go back?" Blossom nodded her head faintly and with that faded for the inner realm of her mind, leaving the keeper alone…almost. Without looking behind him, the keeper addressed the intruder,

"10 years you've been waiting for this day. I often wondered why you waited, but now I understand. You and your master knew that bringing Blossom here would lure me out. Quite clever, however I will not allow you to hi-jack her mind."

A shadowy figure formed behind his back, "Who asked your permission?" The keeper then dodged a blow intended for his head. Glaring at his opponent, he transformed into the splitting image of his creator, "Come and get me, if you can."

* * *

Blossom awoke to the sound of many excited voices. Hushed whispers and hurried speech twirled around the room endlessly.

"Is she waking up? Is she waking up?"

"Bubbles, you've been asking that for the last hour. Give it a rest already!"

"Now, Buttercup don't be so harsh on your sister. She's only concerned for Blossom."

"But _Professor_…"

"_Buttercup_…Oh, hello Brick! Checking up on Blossom again?"

"Yeah…How is she looking?"

"Still fast asleep I'm afraid."

"Hmmm…maybe you're just trying the wrong thing. Let me try."

...

"Hey, **Babe**, are you going to wake up or sleep for the **next decade**?"

That did it. "BRICK, YOU JERK!" The force of Blossoms awakening sent Brick flying into the opposite wall, breaking several beakers. For a second there was only stunned silence, disturbed by Brick's groaning. Then laughter rung through the air. Bubbles immediately flew to her sister's side and engulfed her in a hug while Buttercup gloated over Brick, "Serves you right!" The Professor calmly made his way to his daughter's bedside. Bubbles moved aside as the two saw each other for the first time in ten years.

Pulling the pipe from his mouth, the Professor cast a tender smile towards his daughter. "You gave us all quite the scare." For a second the two merely stared deeply into the eachothers eyes. Then a huge smile spread across Blossom's face. For the first time in what seemed an eternity, the tears that streamed down her face were those of joy instead of sadness.

"Professor!" In a sudden show of energy, Blossom jumped out of bed and engulfed the professor in a smothering hug. The professors eyes widened in shock as he was almost knocked backwards from the force. "My, my, how you girls have grown! It's easy to forget you aren't six anymore…" Buttercup's sarcastic tone sounded in the background, "_Tell_ us about it." The Professor spared a chiding glance over to his raven-haired daughter. When he returned his gaze back to the redhead in his arms, he was met with a set of light pink eyes staring happily back at him. Her tone was soft, "I'm so glad your okay, Professor. I thought you were gone, too." Once again, the Professor found a warm smile growing on his face. His arms tightened around his daughter, "And I'm thankful that you three are okay as well. I thought you were…dead…for the longest time. Just to see you and your sisters alive and well in front of me again…my three precious daughters…" The Professor seemed to drift away in thought, a heavy frown set upon his features from the remembrance of 10 years of heartbreak.

"As much as I **HATE** to break up such a touching moment, we have things to do."

The moment was effectively ruined by one red-eyed boy who looked far from amused. His clothing was now in stained multi-colored by various chemicals and he was covered in minor cuts from the shattered glass. Blossom couldn't help but feel a small bit of guilt, which she blew off by reasoning that he probably deserved it.

Professor seemed to automatically snap out of his reverie at the mention of business, "Ah, yes. Your absolutely right, Brick." The Professor turned to regard all three of his daughters, "Girls, as you know much has happened since your disappearance ten years ago. I can't fill you in on all the details right now, however I can tell you the basics. On the day of your disappearance, some people in Townsville started acting very strangely. People who were normally kind and peaceful started to become aggressive and violent without any clear reason. Scientists and medical personnel tried to isolate the cause but came up with nothing. Within 24 hours, the condition had spread like a plague, affecting nearly 40% of the town. The city went into a panic. When the Powerpuff Girls failed to show up, people began to get frightened and concerned. Search parties were formed to locate you, but they all came back with no leads. The final attack came early the next morning, while the remaining unaffected citizens were trying to sleep an army of shadow soldiers came and raided the town. They destroyed most of the city and Townsville fell…It was then that the attacker revealed himself and proclaimed himself the new Dictator of Townsville. And his name was Maldire; an evil sorcerer that specializes in mind bending magic. Soon he conquered the entire country and eventually the world, which leads to what you see before you." Professor made a wide motion with his hand to make a point.

"But where are we now?" Blossom questioned, eager to finally gain some answers.

The Professor smiled and continued, "Good question. We are currently in the central control center of the entire rebellion movement. To be precise you are at the Townsville Central Command Base! There are several other smaller bases scattered throughout the world, yet this one is the heart of it all."

"So this is all part of some rebellion militia?"

"That is correct."

"And all the villains?" Buttercup interjected

The Professor seemed to carefully craft his answer. There would be no easy way to say this. "When Maldire attacked, he mostly targeted the good of heart. It seems that they were much easier to corrupt than the already evil-hearted. Because of this most of the villains were unaffected while many of the citizens succumbed."

"So you're telling me this base is full of villains?"

The Professor sighed. They were taking this as well as could be suspected. "It's a base made _of_ villains. The regular soldiers are mainly at the other bases. Most of your old arch enemies are stationed here as well."

They were all at a loss for words. Finally Bubbles spoke what was on all their minds, "This is _horrible_!" The Professor saw their panic and quickly worked to assuage their perfectly logical fears, "Girls, girls, calm down! All the villains are our allies now! Their hatred of Maldire is nearly equal to our own. Their on our side." Blossom was skeptical, "And why would they fight against evil? That doesn't make any sense! They _wanted_ to see Townsville destroyed, they _wanted_ to see us dead!" The Professor's response was vague, "They have their reasons."

"Well, gee, that makes me feel _so_ much better!" Buttercup stated while donning her trademark scowl.

"Now Buttercup…" The Professor was interrupted by a loud beeping from his watch. Looking down at the hands of his watch, the Professor's eyes widened, "Look at the time! Well, we'll have to explain more later. Right now we need to get you girls settled in! Brick!"

At the mentioning of his name, Brick immediately brightened. A barely retained mischievous smirk made its way across his face, which sent warning signals off for Blossom. "Yes, sir?"

"Show the girls to their rooms and make sure their comfortable."

"Absolutely. Follow me!" Brick made a motion for the girls to follow him and walked nonchalantly through the door. Blossom and Buttercup followed Brick closely, but one Powerpuff lagged behind. Bubbles looked torn between catching up with the others and leaving the lab and the Professor soon caught on. "Bubbles, why aren't you leaving with the others?" The Professor gently questioned. Two powder blue eyes looked pleadingly back at him, "Are we going to see you again, Professor?" Professor let out a small laugh, "Why, of course you will! If you ever need me I'll be right here in the lab. How does that sound?" Bubbles looked at him with new assurance and gave a small nod in reply. Professor resorted to an old habit and patted her on the head, "That's good. Now, go catch up with the others. It's easy to get lost around here." With one last smile and nod, Bubbles exited, now in great spirits. As the Professor returned to his work, he could not help but feel the loneliness that descended upon the cold lab.

A turn to the left, a turn to the right, another turn to the right…The group wound its way through a disorienting array of white hallways. All the while Blossom searched for an opening to close on her counterpart. Something told her that Brick had something up his sleeves, something that made him very happy…and that couldn't be good for them. Momentarily, the perfect opportunity arose and Blossom quickly closed the gap between her and her counterpart until she was walking with him stride for stride. Staring him sharply in the face she cut right to the point, "You're up to something aren't you?" Brick met her stare dead on, with the same provoking smile. His eyes glowed with determined excitement about some hidden secret.

"Am I?"

And with that he quickened his pace, leaving Blossom to stare at his back in suspicion.

* * *

A/N: Well, here you have it folks! After 5 million tragedies last week, it's a wonder this ever survived to be posted. I faced off with the second curse of fanfiction writers: the infamous computer crash. Luckily, I typed this story on another laptop for safe keeping! As always I hope you enjoy reading this chapter. My favorite chapter will be coming up next! And now that summer is upon us, I'll have so much more time to write. In conclusion, I'd like to thank all the people who reviewed, favorited, etc. It means a lot!


	6. Moving Day

An Uneasy Truce

Amberwolf of Flames

Ch.6 : Moving Day

The clinical hallways were just as disorienting as ever. In no time at all, Blossom found herself lost once again in the twisting labyrinth of the fort. The only thing giving her some direction was the red-headed boy confidently leading the way and she trusted him almost as much as a rattlesnake. Looking behind him, Brick flashed another foreboding smirk. Correction, she would have preferred the rattlesnake. Apprehension made a tight, vicious knot in her stomach. What was he hiding? The suspense felt like it was quite literally killing her. Just as she started to make a quick mental note of possible escape routes, the travelling group came to an abrupt stop.

Sprawled in front of them were perhaps the only scraps of color in the whole complex. Three doors, one blue, one red, and one green, brightly contrasted the stark white of the corridors. Somehow, Blossom didn't like where this was going. Call it gut instinct or paranoia, whichever way. Brick turned to address his eager audience with a troublesome expression plastered on his face. "Well girls, welcome home!"

Bubbles nearly burst from excitement, "We get our own rooms!"

Quickly, Brick raised a hand, "Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on there tiger! I suppose now is as good a time as any…" Brick cleared his throat for theatrical effect. Blossom rolled her eyes. "As of today, we are your official guardians. This entails a first class stay in the luxurious Rowdyruff suite, rent free!"

"WHAT?" The reactions of the three girls were simultaneous.

"I don't need any bodyguard! I can fight for myself!" Buttercup was immediately up in arms seeming eager to prove her point.

"Besides," Chimed in Blossom with a weak façade of calmness, "We can't stay with you."

"Oh, and why not?" Countered Brick, raising one eyebrow.

Blossom struggled to explain as a blush started to cover her face, "For starters you're guys…"

"Obviously."

Brick was flatly ignored, "And we're girls…so…"

"And?" Brick was greatly enjoying the ice queen's squirming.

Blossom finally exploded like a crate of TNT, "It just won't work OK?"

Brick raised both his arms and gently laughed, "Ok, ok, before Pinky over here spontaneously combusts, the rooms are separated. Half and half, sound fair? And to Miss Toughest Fighter, you need our help. If you haven't noticed, you're surrounded by former enemies…and some are not so willing to forget the past."

Silence settled uncomfortably in the air.

Brick cleared his throat, "And now on to assignments. Bubbles your with Boomer," Boomer shyly smiled at Bubbles, who softly giggled in reply, "Buttercup your with Butch," The two shared a brief staring contest, sizing one another up, "And that leaves you with me, Blossom. Man are you one lucky babe!"

"Lucky isn't exactly the word…"

"It's moving time everyone! Boomer, Butch, go show the lady's their rooms."

The two Rowdyruffs gave their leader a mocking salute as they invited their new roommates in. Brick turned sharply to face his frustrated counterpart, "And you… are coming with me." An eager smile spread across his face. Blossom groaned.

XXXXX

Instants after opening the ruby door, a torrent of water had poured over Brick's head. For a brief second, there was no reaction from the stunned boy. Then came the rage. Sticking his head out the door frame he hollered at the top of his lungs, "Butch, I'm going to KILL you later!"

"I'd like to see you try." Laughter echoed off the hallway walls, and not just Butch's. Blossom was keeled over, desperately gasping for breath between giggles. "It's a good look for you, Brick. Maybe you should keep it!"

Brick glared at her, "Find that funny, huh?"

Blossom almost yelped when the ground beneath her disappeared. Two pairs of strong, chiseled arms were now keeping her securely hoisted above the ground. Blossom felt a blush appear against her will.

"What do you think you're doing? Put me down right now!"

Brick just shone his trademark smirk, "Whatever you say."

Blossom realized a second too late what she had just asked for, "Wait, don't…!"

Her imagination conjured images of smashing into rock hard surfaces and the inevitable pain. To her surprise, she fell into a gigantic, fluffy cushion. As she opened her eyes, she realized it was a small bed. Two fire engine red eyes stared down at her. "I see you've already made acquaintances with the bed." Sitting up slowly, Blossom was truly mesmerized by what she saw.

The room was painted a gentle shade of pink. Next to the bed stood a wooden nightstand and next to that were three towering bookshelves filled to the brim with books. Against the back wall a majestic antique writing desk was begging to be used. Weathered maps hung from the walls. Another table with an impressive vanity mirror and a hulking wardrobe huddled in a corner. As promised a heavy curtain acted as a temporary wall. Blossom sprung out of bed with immense energy and excitedly inspected the room.

"So, I guess you like the room then? If you don't then I've had people on the waiting list…"

"I love it!"

Even Blossom was surprised by the instant, spirited reply. Brick looked lost for a second, expecting a more negative comment. What happened next came as a shock…Brick's sarcastic exterior cracked as he let out a warm, content smile.

"That's great. I'm glad."

Blossom was momentarily drawn deeply into that carefree expression, words fleeting from her mind. Then something foreign flashed in his eyes…fear. The defenses came crashing back down to Earth.

"Enjoy the room, then. I'm going to go change into something a little more…dry." Blossom watched in perplexed confusion as his silhouette vanished hastily behind the thick curtain. What in the world had just happened?

XXXXX

This wasn't supposed to happen. "Don't let them get close. They'll weaken you. Make you soft. Remember your purpose." Orders, orders, orders…they viciously circled his head. Consequences taunted him from the shadows. They had been repeatedly warned…but something about her…

"I'm losing it."

XXXXX

A/N: Are you SURPRISED? I LIVE I tell ya! I have a saying to accurately explain my absence: Life is like a computer, not always 100% reliable. So you get a new chapter and a profound statement. Consider it a Thanksgiving gift from me. I hope this chapter is worth the wait. Remember, reviews make my day! The tension is slowly rising…


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